


The Time Traveler's Husband

by Cliophilyra



Category: Cable and Deadpool, Deadpool (Movieverse)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, No Smut, Post-Deadpool 2 (2018), Sort Of, Time Travel, yet - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2019-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-07 12:34:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,450
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21458137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cliophilyra/pseuds/Cliophilyra
Summary: The mission is over and Nathan is taking stock and wondering how - or if - to tell Wade the truth about his future family.
Relationships: Nathan Summers/Wade Wilson
Comments: 14
Kudos: 151





	The Time Traveler's Husband

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this ages ago and I kind of like it but there may be more to it, it definitely feels like a beginning but we will see...

It's 0400 and they're all still at Sister Margaret's, propping up the bar and shrouded with that creeping sense of ennui that comes after a battle, when the thing that has been taking up all your attention ends and all your old problems flood back in to fill the void. 

Nathan had followed them there because it seemed like the obvious thing to do and because he wasn't ready to let him go, but now the truth of being trapped here in the past is beginning to settle more heavily on his shoulders. He watches Wade knock back what must be his hundredth shot of tequila, no drunker than he was hours ago and remembers, with a faint smile, how annoyed he always used to get that his healing factor stopped him from getting drunk. 

He wonders why he hasn't told Wade the truth yet. He'd never expected to see him here, had no idea he'd be involved in this ridiculous, hideous plan. The moment he'd clapped eyes on the familiar red suit he was frozen, the irony almost painful. It had taken all of his strength not to grab him and never let go again, until he realized that this man - wise-cracking and killing his way through his grief - is not yet the man he knows (Knew? Will know?) and he couldn't bring himself to add to his pain and confusion. So he pushed down every instinct he had and lied. Made up a wife and pretended not to know his husband. 

When Wade had died the decision to bring him back was instant and obvious. What was the point in going back to a future without him in it? That would mean he had failed. At least this way his husband and child would have a life, even if he never got to share it with them. 

Except of course, that he is still here and so is Wade and now they could start over again. But he's not sure he deserves that. What he had tried to do was unforgivable and he needs to make amends for that, needs to let what he wants go and think about what he can do for this world. He needs get the fuck out of Dodge before he starts thinking it won't hurt to stay for a while, when he knows it will hurt, a lot. 

He waits until Wade has gone to the bathroom, downs the last of the swill that Weasel calls beer and heads for the door, carefully not looking back. 

***

Outside the bar the wind is whipping up the garbage in the street, pulling at his scarf and ruffling his hair. He stops for a moment to breathe it in; barely even noticing the alley-way stink of trash and piss, it's a luxury to be able to breathe the air at all without choking on poison and greasy smog. You don't even need a gas mask here - yet. 

He looks up at the sky and marvels that he can actually see stars. They might be faint and almost drowned out by the lights of the city but they're there. He can't remember the last time he saw the stars back home. 

"Hey!" A familiar gravelly voice calls out and he stops, squeezing his eyes shut as he curses himself for not leaving quicker. He debates just walking away but instead he turns to see Wade leaning against the door to Sister Margaret's. His arms are folded over his chest and his mask is rolled up to his nose. Nathan drops his own mask into place; the expression of mild irritation that hides his true feelings. 

"You skipping out on me already?" Wade asks.

Nathan says nothing, just shrugs. 

"I'm wounded. I thought we had a connection man. You sacrificed your future for me. Did that mean nothing, you big, sexy cyborg?"

"I told you, I didn't do it for you."

Wade rolls his eyes, somehow visible despite the mask. "Whatever, Thanos. Keep telling yourself that if it makes you feel less homo."

Nathan laughs aloud at that, a short, harsh sound that hurts his throat. "Not something I've ever worried about," he says. 

Wade narrows his eyes for a moment in confusion, Nathan looks back, meeting his gaze steadily, saying nothing until Wade raises both hands to his mouth in mock-shock. "Ohhh...so the gay dad look is intentional?" he asks. 

"Fuck you Wilson." 

Wade just shrugs. "So what about this wife you left behind? Does she know you bat for the other team?"

"None of your business," Nathan snaps, unable to come up with a better answer and distracted by visions of kissing Wade until he stops talking. 

Wade grins. "Awww c'mon grumpier-Bucky, no need to be shy."

"Not having this conversation with you," Nathan retorts. "I'm not discussing my fucking sex life with someone dressed like a Kevlar dildo."

Wade winks and blows him a kiss. "Weird comparison but ok hot stuff."

"Nathan," Nathan says with a sigh and then wonders why on Earth he's telling him his name. To stop the endless stream of nick-names from slipping closer to the endearments that he won't ever hear again? "My name's Nathan."

Wade cocks his head and gives him an assessing look. "Huh. You don't look like a Nate. More of a Josh."

"Maybe that's because I'm not a Nate. I'm a Nathan," Nathan replies testily, knowing it's pointless. Wade has always called him Nate no matter how much it irritates him, why would this version be any different? 

"Ok Nate. I'm Wade," Wade holds out a hand which Nathan takes slowly, frowning. 

"I know," he says, at the same time Wade says; 

"So Nate, wanna fuck?"

Nathan freezes, Wade's hand still gripped in his. He blinks and runs the conversation back in his head. Did he miss something? He feels like he must have missed something because a minute ago they were talking about his, admittedly imaginary, wife. He pulls his hand back sharply and stares at the other man.

Wade spreads his arms wide. "C'mon, you can't tell me you don't want this?" he says, gesturing to himself.

"I don't want anything from you." Nathan answers, arms folded defensively. It may not be 100% true but, at this precise moment, he is all kinds of confused and this is not at all where he expected this conversation to go. 

Wade sighs and rolls his eyes dramatically. "Oh well, worth a try. I just thought, y'know...we're both suffering here. I think you're hot as fuck, despite the whole geriatric terminator thing. You think I'm hot as fuck; yeah you’re not hiding it that well _Nate_," his voice drops into a softer register. "So, yeah, I just figured we could both do with a time out from this shit-show."

Nathan narrows his eyes and tries, for the millionth time in his long life, to see into Wade Wilson's head. As always there's nothing but white noise and the frustrating irony of the fact that Wade's is the only mind he can't read. He kicks himself for apparently failing to hide his feelings, despite his best efforts, and regards his very-distantly-future-husband for a long time before shaking his head. "Yeah. Thanks for the offer but I'm gonna have to decline," he says, trying to inject as much disgust and sarcasm as he can into his tone. Telling himself it's for the best, that this is not the man he married, no matter how much he looks like him, acts like him, sounds like him, smells like him...

Wade sighs but looks unconcerned. "Oh well, can't blame a guy for trying. You're really rocking that aging hipster look. I can't help it, I've got a real thing for improbably huge muscles and infinity scarves," he says, turning back towards the door to Sister Margaret's. Nathan is about to breathe a sigh of relief when Wade turns back again.

"Where you gonna stay now you're stuck in this dump anyway?" he asks and he sounds genuinely interested.

Nathan shrugs. "I'll find somewhere," he says looking around vaguely as if an answer might present itself. "and this isn't a dump. You have no idea."

"You wanna come crash at mine? No strings...promise."

He's about to say no, dismiss it out of hand as the terrible idea it so clearly is, but instead he nods and says, "Thanks," feeling as surprised as Wade looks. 

"Oh...cool. I didn't think you'd...Shit!" Wade smacks himself in the forehead.

"What?"

"Just remembered I don't have a place. It...blew up. I've been crashing with Al...well, you've been there. Anyway, it's cool, she won't mind. The more the merrier right?"

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please let me know what you think! x
> 
> I’m on Tumblr at [cliophilyra](https://cliophilyra.tumblr.com) Come and say hi! :)


End file.
